MEPs want social inclusion and people’s wellbeing at the heart of EU economic policies, with equal priority given to social, environmental and economic objectives.

The EU should secure adequate funding to push through its recovery plans and emerge stronger from the Covid-19 crisis, MEPs said during a plenary debate on 8 July.

On June 25 Chancellor of the Ministry of National Defence Dalia Beliackienė and Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Lithuania HE Matthias Sonn signed an agreement between the Government of the Republic of Lithuania and the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany on mutual protection of classified information. The updated document replaces the previous version and provides a new regulation on cooperation of Lithuanian and German institutions on ensuring protection of classified information.

President Gitanas Nausėda had a telephone conversation with Prime Minister Andrej Plenković of Croatia which currently holds the Presidency of the Council of the European Union. The conversation focused on the forthcoming negotiations on the multiannual financial framework and the European Recovery Fund, as well as the priorities of the EU neighborhood policy.

On June 25 Minister of National Defence Raimundas Karoblis discussed implementation of key aspects of NATO defence agenda in order to strengthen deterrence and defence in the region at a meeting with Commander Allied Joint Force Command Brunssum General Jörg Vollmer. Minister congratulated General on the recent appointment and expressed delight about the fact that during his career with the German Armed Forces Gen Vollmer had amassed substantial expertise and experience concerning topical matters in the context of the region that would be of great value in the implementation of key NATO decisions.

The assessment of Member States' first programmes of measures to control air emissions finds that the implementation of the new European clean air rules needs improvement. Member States need to step up efforts across all sectors to make sure their citizens can breathe clean air, preventing respiratory diseases and premature death caused by breathing polluted air.

To prevent massive job losses and a deep recession, EP’s Employment and Social Affairs Committee calls for radical measures to help EU firms and workers out of the crisis.

On Friday, MEPs increased the crisis support that EU states should soon be able to pay to farmers and agri-food SMEs from the EU rural development fund.

Parliamentary committees will this week deal with everything from the EU strategy for Covid-19 vaccines to support for refugees and a chemicals strategy for sustainability.